Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village

Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village used to be Lyemun Barracks, barracks for the British Soldiers stationed in Hong Kong. It is located in the east of Shau Kei Wan, facing Lei Yue Mun, with an area of 22.97 Hectares. This is the only Holiday Village in the urban districts of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Island and Kowloon).

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Lyemun Barracks was named after the fishing village of Lei Yue Mun. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945), the Barracks fell into the hands of the Japanese.

At 18th December, 1941, at 3:00am, a troop of Japanese soldiers, in a car, broke through the fence, using bombs and killed the British Guards. The rest of the soldiers, around 100 British soldiers, were locked in a cannon loading room, until 9:30pm, the Japanese ordered the soldiers to get out, and shot all of the soldiers, two Chinese-British soldiers survived by hiding under the corpses, escaping successfully.[citation needed]

The Barracks housed the Depot and Record Office of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps between 1948 and 1985. The Barracks were handed over to the Government in 1986 and were subsequently converted into the Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village.[1]

The whole former barracks compound is graded as Grade I historic building because of its historic significance. The buildings of the compound are graded as Grade I and II historic buildings separately, however.[2]

After the Lyemun Barracks were left disabled and were handed over to the Government, the Southern Part was converted into the Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village, while the Northern Part was left unused and lost until it was converted into the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence in 2000.

The Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village have a total of 4 family hostels and 2 group hostels, all provided with balconies, bedrooms, and lavatories with showering facilities, it can contain the living of 282 people.

The buildings were located across hillsides, with passageways linking them. And even though the Lyemun Barracks were converted into Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village, there are still some buildings that were left deactivated and unused. An example would be Block 08, which is located behind Block 07 (The Coffee Corner).The area was listed as prohibited to enter as well. (although tourists could open the unlocked gate and reach Block 08 via the gutter).

Another example would be Block 03, which is located diagonally from Block 04 (The Canteen). It was left unused and deactivated, and the area was listed as prohibited as well. Tourists must risk climbing a nearby stone slope, and over the iron wire mesh to enter. However, it is now confirmed that Block 03 will be converted into a quarantine facility, with the function to prevent epidemics from spreading in case of an outbreak.

Buildings in the holiday village have numbers printed on them to indicate which block they are, though some of these numbers may be difficult to spot. These numbers have been printed on them long ago, during their days as part of the Lyemun Barracks. Some buildings however, have stripped off and removed these numbers.

Block 01, as opposed to the other structures, has a green and white appearance, and is now isolated and left deactivated, with glass pieces and concrete scattered across the damaged building, the damage weren't too severe however. According to several signs we have discovered, with the words 'Ladies Changing Room' and 'Please Shower Before Entering The Pool.', as well as what seems to be a dried up pool right beside it, we can confirm that Block 01 was formerly used as a Changing Room for soldiers to prepare for swimming workouts. Inside, there also seems to be a small room, used for showering purposes, and large pipes that have gone rusty. Unlike the other isolated blocks mentioned above, the map pointed out that Block 01 and the swimming pool are isolated from the main barracks area and the connecting bridge, and so soldiers back in the days must use staircases to reach Block 01, in which the path was later cut off by the Island Eastern Corridor. To reach Block 01, you must climb up the staircase which is now cut in half, and climb up a steep slope along the gutter. It's recommended that you be cautious while doing so, and not to attempt when the surface is wet due to rainy weather.

There's a road right next to the Lei Yue Mun Public Riding School, with a locked gate preventing tourists from entering. According to the map, the road continues to stretch towards the coast, and crosses the Island Eastern Corridor as a bridge. Along the road are Blocks 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, and the Pak Sha Wan Battery, which were left isolated and lost from the Holiday Village. They're now claimed as property of the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense. However, these places were not open to the public, and tourists would get inside themselves through various methods, finding themselves on the bridge over the Island Eastern Corridor, which is the place behind the closed gate. Along the road are leaves and tree branches that have not been removed or swept away, with a car parking gate left closed at the end of the bridge, the road then continues to the deactivated and isolated blocks of the Lyemun Barracks.

It has transformed into a park/holiday village, with facilities such as rope courses, a horse-riding school (with a very steep hiking/hacking route up the nearby hillsides), tennis courts, basketball courts, football pitches, as well as many indoor games. The barracks that used to be for soldiers have been transformed into small living quarters for the holiday village.

The riding school has a large and a small paddock. it has about 30 stalls to accommodate about 30 horses and also a hacking route with spectacular views.[3]

Isolated from the Holiday Village. Formerly used as a Changing Room for soldiers before going on swimming workouts in a pool next to Block 01.

Block 02

N/A

Demolished

N/A

It was built in the same way as Block 03, but sadly it has been demolished to make way for the riding school. It was located where the riding school is now.

Block 03

Built in 1939

Grade III

Not In Use

Formerly Front, Top Left (Shown in Top Photograph), Currently Removed

Formerly used as the Barrack Room Office or Store. It was intended to be left deactivated, but Block 03 is now confirmed to be converted into a quarantine facility. The conversion will begin in late-2017 and is expected to end in late-2019. The first photograph shows the old version, and the second photograph shows its appearance after the re-painting.

Block 04

N/A

In Use

Removed

The main building is now used as the Canteen for the Holiday Village, while providing 4 Activity Rooms as well (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D).

Block 05

Built between 1920 and 1939

Grade III

In Use

Front, Top Center (Shown in Photograph)

Former Gymnasium of the Barracks; converted to the Indoors Games Halls and Leisure Centers of the Holiday Village. Some people hold their weddings here due to its elegant appearance.

Block 06

N/A

In Use

Side, Top Center (Shown in Photograph)

Now used as the Orchid House of the Holiday Village.

Block 6A

N/A

In Use

Front, Top Center

Now used as the African Violet House of the Holiday Village

Block 07

Built in 1890

Grade II

In Use

Side, Top Center (Shown in Photograph)

Formerly used as the "HKMSC Training Complex" of the Barracks, converted to the Coffee Corner of the Holiday Village.

(As of now, Block 07 is under renovation.)

Block 08

N/A

Deactivated

Side, Top Center (Shown in Photograph)

Located beside Block 07, now deactivated and unused.

Block 09

N/A

In Use

Front, Top Center

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as the Children Play House of the Holiday Village.

Block 10

Built between 1890 and 1910

Grade I

In Use

Front, Top Center

(Shown in Bottom Photograph)

Now used as the main Indoor Recreation Center of the Holiday Village.

Block 11

N/A

In Use

Front, Top

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Storage House for barbecue equipment.

Block 12

N/A

In Use

Behind, Top

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Storage House for barbecue equipment.

Block 13

N/A

In Use

Front, Top

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Latrine of the Holiday Village.

Block 15

N/A

In Use

Removed

Now used as an Activity Room of the Holiday Village.

Block 16

N/A

In Use

Front, Top (Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Storage Room.

Block 17

Built in the early 1900s

Grade III

In Use

Front, beside bridge entrance

(Shown in Bottom Photograph)

Formerly used as "Junior Ranks Club", now used as an Activity Room of the Holiday Village.

Block 17A

N/A

In Use

Front, Middle

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Storage Room.

Block 18

Built between 1890 and 1895

Grade I

In Use

Side, Top (Shown in Bottom Photograph)

Converted to an Indoors Recreation Center of the Holiday Village.

Block 20

Built between 1890 and 1895

Grade III

In Use

Side, Top

(Shown in Photograph)

Converted to the Entertainment Center of the Holiday Village.

Block 21

Built between 1890 and 1895

Grade I

In Use

Side, Top

(Shown in Photograph)

Formerly used as H.K.M.S.C. Headquarters. Converted to the Office of the Holiday Village.

Block 22

N/A

In Use

Front Right

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Latrine and the Staff Room of the Holiday Village.

Block 23

N/A

In Use

Removed

Now used as a Flowering Garden of the Holiday Village.

Block 25

Built between 1884 and 1890

Grade I

In Use

Center Right (Shown in bottom

Photograph)

Formerly used as Officers' Mess of the Barracks, converted to be a hostel of the Holiday Village.

Block 25A

N/A

In Use

Removed (Replaced with sign)

Now used as a Group Hostel of the Holiday Village.

Block 26

N/A

In Use

Right Side

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as an Activity Room of the Holiday Village

Block 28

N/A

In Use

Front Right (Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Squash Court Room of the Holiday Village

Block 29

N/A

In Use

Right Side

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Storage room.

Block 30

Built in 1936

Grade III

In Use

Side, Top Center (Shown in Photograph)

"Masefield Block". Now used as a hostel of the Holiday Village.

Block 31

Built in 1907

Grade III

In Use

Removed, presumably

under the words

"Shakespeare"

"Shakespeare Block". Now used as a hostel of the Holiday Village.

Block 32

Built in 1909

Grade III

In Use

Side, Top,

Under the words "Tennyson"

(Shown in Photograph)

"Tennyson Block". Now used as a hostel of the Holiday Village.

Block 33

Built in 1938

Grade III

In Use

Removed

"Milton Block". Now used as the Staff Quarters of the Holiday Village.

Block 34

Built in 1936

Grade III

In Use

Removed, presumably under the words "Wordsworth"

"Wordsworth Block". Now used as a hostel of the Holiday Village.

Block 35

N/A

In Use

Removed (Replaced with Sign)

Now used as an Activity Room of the Holiday Village

Block 37

N/A

In Use

Front, Top Left

(Shown in Bottom Photograph)

Now used as a Storage Room for the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense, and is one of the two only blocks within the area that is currently being used. Formerly used as a Barracks room.

Block 38

N/A

Deactivated

Front

(Shown in Photograph)

Formerly used as a Latrine of the barracks, now deactivated and left unused.

Block 39

N/A

Deactivated

Front, Top Left

(Shown in Photograph)

Now deactivated and left unused. Note that Block 39 and Block 40 are linked together. Formerly used as a Barracks room

Block 40

N/A

Deactivated

Beside Entrance

(Shown in Photograph)

Now deactivated and left unused. Formerly used as a Barracks room along with Block 39

Block 41

N/A

Deactivated

Side

(Shown in Photograph)

Formerly used as a Latrine of the barracks, now deactivated and left unused

Block 42

N/A

Deactivated

Side

(Shown in Photograph)

Formerly used as a Latrine of the barracks, now deactivated and left unused

Block 43

N/A

In Use

Side

(Shown in Photograph)

Now used as a Storage Room for the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense, and is one of the two only blocks within the area that is currently being used.

Block 44

N/A

Deactivated

Front, Top

(Shown in Photograph)

Now deactivated and left unused. Formerly used as the Sniper Room for the Lyemun Barracks.

Block 45

N/A

Deactivated

Side

(Shown in Bottom Photograph)

Now deactivated and left unused. Formerly used as a Barracks Room.

Block 46

N/A

Deactivated

Front

(Shown in Photograph)

Now deactivated and left unused. In front of Block 46 is what seems to be an anti-aircraft cannon which is kept in good condition. Formerly used as the Engine Room for the Lyemun Barracks.